Narrative:

Under the current rules a checked piece of luggage can weigh a min of 25 pounds. This figure was derived from a study done by the air transport association in the early 1990's. Believe rather that the rules and regulations are archaic and out of date. A 5 pound average weight increase yields a 16.65% increase per bin of checked luggage over current weights. A 10 pound average weight increase yields a 28.55% increase per bin of checked luggage over current weights. A 15 pound average weight increase yields a 37.5% increase per bin of checked luggage over current weights. A 20 pound average weight increase yields a 44.46% increase per bin of checked luggage over current weights. A difference in average bag weight increases the potential inaccuracy of the load of each bin. This inaccurate load weight can increase even further if mail is not counted uniformly. It is possible for one piece of checked luggage to have three or more different weights as it moves from a regional carrier, to a major carrier and finally to an int'l carrier. It is almost impossible to find an experienced baggage handler who does not believe checked luggage has become substantially heavier over the past ten yrs. Most commercial airlines have begun charging fees for overweight luggage. However, once these fees are collected and the luggage is in the system it usually reverts to an average weight bag. Currently when a passenger checks in at the ticket counter their bags are placed on a scale. The agent generates a bag-tag for each piece. The agent must also check to see if the luggage fits the profile for the overweight collection fee. This represents a perfect opportunity to put a computer entry concerning the weight of each passenger's luggage. Once in the computer system it becomes possible for all of the necessary information about the weight expected on the aircraft to be found. This process would allow for an accurate weight of each piece of checked luggage. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that in his company he believes that all checked baggage, including baggage which has been identified as 'overnight,' defaults to a weight of 25 pounds for the purposes of calculating aircraft weight and balance. Reporter advised that he now believes that his company's aircraft may not be very much affected by the weight discrepancies, but that smaller aircraft which often get their baggage from connecting flts would be.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR EQUIP SVC EMPLOYEE QUESTIONS WT COMPUTATION STANDARDS FOR CHECKED BAGGAGE AND MAIL.

Narrative: UNDER THE CURRENT RULES A CHECKED PIECE OF LUGGAGE CAN WEIGH A MIN OF 25 LBS. THIS FIGURE WAS DERIVED FROM A STUDY DONE BY THE AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION IN THE EARLY 1990'S. BELIEVE RATHER THAT THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE ARCHAIC AND OUT OF DATE. A 5 LB AVERAGE WT INCREASE YIELDS A 16.65% INCREASE PER BIN OF CHECKED LUGGAGE OVER CURRENT WEIGHTS. A 10 LB AVERAGE WT INCREASE YIELDS A 28.55% INCREASE PER BIN OF CHECKED LUGGAGE OVER CURRENT WEIGHTS. A 15 LB AVERAGE WT INCREASE YIELDS A 37.5% INCREASE PER BIN OF CHECKED LUGGAGE OVER CURRENT WEIGHTS. A 20 LB AVERAGE WT INCREASE YIELDS A 44.46% INCREASE PER BIN OF CHECKED LUGGAGE OVER CURRENT WEIGHTS. A DIFFERENCE IN AVERAGE BAG WT INCREASES THE POTENTIAL INACCURACY OF THE LOAD OF EACH BIN. THIS INACCURATE LOAD WT CAN INCREASE EVEN FURTHER IF MAIL IS NOT COUNTED UNIFORMLY. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR ONE PIECE OF CHECKED LUGGAGE TO HAVE THREE OR MORE DIFFERENT WEIGHTS AS IT MOVES FROM A REGIONAL CARRIER, TO A MAJOR CARRIER AND FINALLY TO AN INT'L CARRIER. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AN EXPERIENCED BAGGAGE HANDLER WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE CHECKED LUGGAGE HAS BECOME SUBSTANTIALLY HEAVIER OVER THE PAST TEN YRS. MOST COMMERCIAL AIRLINES HAVE BEGUN CHARGING FEES FOR OVERWT LUGGAGE. HOWEVER, ONCE THESE FEES ARE COLLECTED AND THE LUGGAGE IS IN THE SYSTEM IT USUALLY REVERTS TO AN AVERAGE WT BAG. CURRENTLY WHEN A PAX CHECKS IN AT THE TICKET COUNTER THEIR BAGS ARE PLACED ON A SCALE. THE AGENT GENERATES A BAG-TAG FOR EACH PIECE. THE AGENT MUST ALSO CHECK TO SEE IF THE LUGGAGE FITS THE PROFILE FOR THE OVERWT COLLECTION FEE. THIS REPRESENTS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT A COMPUTER ENTRY CONCERNING THE WT OF EACH PASSENGER'S LUGGAGE. ONCE IN THE COMPUTER SYS IT BECOMES POSSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE NECESSARY INFO ABOUT THE WT EXPECTED ON THE ACFT TO BE FOUND. THIS PROCESS WOULD ALLOW FOR AN ACCURATE WT OF EACH PIECE OF CHECKED LUGGAGE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT IN HIS COMPANY HE BELIEVES THAT ALL CHECKED BAGGAGE, INCLUDING BAGGAGE WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS 'OVERNIGHT,' DEFAULTS TO A WT OF 25 LBS FOR THE PURPOSES OF CALCULATING ACFT WT AND BALANCE. RPTR ADVISED THAT HE NOW BELIEVES THAT HIS COMPANY'S ACFT MAY NOT BE VERY MUCH AFFECTED BY THE WT DISCREPANCIES, BUT THAT SMALLER ACFT WHICH OFTEN GET THEIR BAGGAGE FROM CONNECTING FLTS WOULD BE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.